


A Stupid Mistake

by Crazyhotsoup



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Arthur Morgan Whump, Arthur Whump, Burns, Drabble, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, Violent Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:42:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26128222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazyhotsoup/pseuds/Crazyhotsoup
Summary: Arthur makes a stupid mistake
Relationships: John Marston & Arthur Morgan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	A Stupid Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> Well well well here we are. Wrote this to get this particular urge out of my head. Normally looking at pictures is enough for me to not wanna do something but didn't work this time, had to write it out.

Arthur stared into the flames. He felt his breath catch in his throat and glanced towards the pot of boiling water. Miss Grimshaw needed it for the washing, and she asked him to watch it while she cleaned up around camp. 

He worried at his lip as he watched bubbles roll across the surface. 

_You know you wanna do it._

_You hurt people._

_You can stop it, you know you can._

He shook his head, trying to clear away the thoughts. 

_There's not another way._

He squeezed his eyes shut, breathing quickly through his nose. 

Arthur pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes. Groaning, he dragged his hands down his face. 

He leaned forward, watching the water bubble. 

Arthur plunged his right hand into the water. A quiet grunt escaped his lips, but he didn't remove his hand. 

"Arthur!" John grabbed his arm and pulled his hand out of the water. "What the hell are you doing?" 

"John?" He looked up at the younger man, hazy. John cradled his hand, and crouched in front of him. 

"You gotta stop this Arthur." He felt tears well up in his eyes and looked away. John's words made him want to turn away. "You gotta stop hurting yourself."

"It was a stupid mistake."

"Then you gotta be more careful." Arthur hissed as John's skin brushed over his own.

"All I do is hurt people, John." The younger man shook his head.

"Ain't true, Morgan. You help out in camp. Told me about that fellar you found in the swamp a week ago and took into Saint Denis." His stomach dropped. Tears welled in his eyes.

"I hurt people, John. Hurt damn more than I help. I just want it to stop." Arthur's words were ugly, loud sobs. Eyes bored into the back of his head, but he ignored them. "I hurt everyone. I hurt everyone, John."

"Get a hold of yourself, Mr. Morgan." He stiffened at Susan's words, pulling his already blistering hand from John's grasp. "You been drinking?"

He shook his head and rose from his seat by the fire.

"Then get back out there, Mr. Morgan. We don't have money to burn."

Arthur nodded numbly, ignoring John's pleas to let him bandage the hand.


End file.
